And the last time Vesuvius erupted seriously (as opposed to local erruptions up to 1944) was? The number of casulaties surely depends above all on the ability to predict it reliably shortly before it happens, and on the ability of the government to evacuate people.

The salient point is, casualty is certain. Proximity to the site determines number of fatalities and casualties, regardless of eruption type. Consider this: Pyroclastic surges can reach speeds of 1050 km/h.

There isn't a plan devised by man to evacuate every persons within that perimeter to safety.

Of course, but I still have no idea how they came up with a figure of 8.000 deaths. An eruption on the scale of 2.000 BC might kill millions. And the ranking seems to take into account only the damag caused, and not the probability of it happening - the latter is just as hard to estimate, but surely just as important for an insurance company.

The Italian papers have all been covering this report, perhaps with a feeling of being number 1 (not to mention 3 and 4 as well).